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An overnight brush fire in Spring Valley is now out, but it caused a scare amid this week’s red flag warning. That means high temperatures, strong winds and low humidity-- ideal conditions for wildfires. As NBC 7’s Sherene Tagharobi explains, it appears this fire started in a homeless encampment. (Published Monday, May 12, 2014)

Updated at 12:00 PM PDT on Monday, May 12, 2014

Fire crews responded to a brush fire in a canyon behind some homes in Spring Valley early Monday.

The fire sparked around 3:30 a.m. in a riverbed near a condo complex along State Route 125 at Elkelton Boulevard and Quarry Road.

Canyon Fire Sparks Near Spring Valley Homes

NBC 7's Sherene Tagharobi reports from Spring Valley where a fire started in a canyon overnight. (Published Monday, May 12, 2014)

Crews quickly jumped on the fire that was in steep terrain and thick vegetation, holding the damage to about a quarter of an acre.

As of 8 a.m., the fire was surrounded by hose line. Officials said it would be several hours before the fire was under control.

A Cal Fire spokesperson said the fire was likely started in a homeless encampment.

“There’s at least four homeless encampments that stretch between the Spring Valley swap meet and where this current fire is,“ said Malcom Gettmann with the Spring Canyon Homeowners’ Association.

“We’ve been after the county and law enforcement for at least the last five years to do something about this because we’re fearful this will happen again and again,” Gettmann said.

Firefighters told NBC 7 they were looking at one of those camps as the possible location for the start of the fire but there was no cause released.